This past weekend, three Pumas traveled to Walnut, California to run in the Mt. SAC Relays. They came home with three national championship qualifying marks and one personal record. Nico Montanez started things off with his first 10,000m run ever. He finished the event in 31:02.74, ranking him first in the event with the fastest junior college time in the country. That time would move to second later in the weekend, as Frankline Tanui of Iowa Central Community College would run faster at the Kansas Relays. “Nico ran very well,” said Coach David Barney. “He’s coming off of a hamstring injury that sidelined him for two weeks prior to the meet, so for him to run that fast was just great!”

Brandon Wheat ran the following day, clocking 1:55.30 in the 800m run after a somewhat turbulent first lap. “They had quite a few runners in the race,” commented Coach Barney, “and on the first lap about a fourth of them got tangled up and almost went down.” “Brandon was in the middle of that mess, lost his momentum, and did a great job of regrouping and finishing as well as he did.”

Billie Jo Dytrt competed late Friday night in the 5000m run, running her second best time ever in the event in 17:52.50, which gives her the fourth fastest time in the country amongst junior college runners. Dytrt is also ranked fourth in the 3000m Steeplechase. “Billie Jo ran very well for us! She was in a challenging field and did a great job of running tough!” stated Barney.